Trough Gulch
- 4.4 mi
- round trip
- 214 ft
- climb
- 9,919 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun
- best months
Is Trough Gulch open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Rio Grande National Forest. It doesn't name Trough Gulch, so check the source for the area it covers.
Closures and dangerous conditions on roads, bridges, and trails from flooding
Agency closure covering Rio Grande National Forest · USFS · Rio Grande National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Rio Grande National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Trough Gulch is a 4.4-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest, on the Saguache Ranger District. The route gains about 214 feet from a low point of 9,361 feet to a high of 9,919 feet. The Forest Service manages the land. The trail is rated moderate, and its natural surface allows both horses and bikes. It works well for a day on foot or horseback, with the trail's length and climb making it a straightforward outing. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Creede, which sits about 1,000 feet below the trail, show July highs around 78°F with lows near 43°F, though July and August also bring the most wet days of the year. Winter is cold, with January highs near 37°F and lows around 6°F. Several other hikes lie within a few miles, including California Gulch at 1.5 miles and Wagon Cutoff at 2.9 miles. For an overnight stay, Carnero Guard Station is about 7 miles away and Stone Cellar Campground is about 7.5 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Blue Creek Lodge23 mi away
- San Luis Valley Campground35 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- California GulchHiking1.5 mi
- WAGON CUTOFFHiking2.9 mi
- FourmileHiking3.7 mi
- Bower's Peak TrailHiking4.4 mi
- Carnero Guard StationCamping6.9 mi
- Stone Cellar CampgroundCamping7.5 mi
- Storm King CampgroundCamping7.6 mi
- Stone Cellar Guard StationCamping7.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- California GulchHiking · ~3 min drive
- MINER'S CREEKHiking · ~11 min drive
- Miner's Creek TrailHiking · ~11 min drive
- La Garita Sd. TrailHiking · ~24 min drive
- FourmileHiking · ~6 min drive
- Groundhog TrailHiking · ~20 min drive
- Ludes TrailHiking · ~11 min drive
- Embargo TrailHiking · ~25 min drive
- Bower's Peak TrailHiking · ~8 min drive
- La Garita Creek Cut-Off TrailHiking · ~22 min drive
Best time to visit Trough Gulch
Best months: June. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
37° / 6°
5 wet
Feb
42° / 9°
6 wet
Mar
50° / 16°
7 wet
Apr
56° / 24°
7 wet
May
65° / 30°
6 wet
Jun
75° / 36°
8 wet
Jul
78° / 43°
15 wet
Aug
76° / 42°
18 wet
Sep
70° / 34°
13 wet
Oct
61° / 26°
9 wet
Nov
49° / 14°
6 wet
Dec
38° / 5°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Creede, CO, 24.2 mi away at 8,852 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
